Rotary internal-combustion engine



June 24, 1930. E. r-:RlcssQN 1,765,248

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 24, 192e 4 sheets-sheet 1 IIIIIIIH June 24, 1930. E. ERICSSON ROTARY INTERNAL` COMBUSTION 'ENGINE Filed April 24, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 Og 7 2 O lll June 24, 1930. E. ERICSSON ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 24, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l I IM/vanto@ lZayErmza June 24, 1930. E. ERICSSON 1,766,248

ROTARY INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 24 1926 4 Sheets-Shea?l 4 www@ Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES ELOV ERICSSON, OF ST; IP EUU'L, MINNESOTA ROTARY inrnnNAL-coianusrrol ENerNE Application filed April 24,

This invention relates to engines of the type having a chamber of toric form, in which a revolving piston is operated, and provided with a cut off disc arranged in the manner described and claimed in my co-pending application for Patent Serial Number 35,350, which was tiled in the Patent Office on J une c, i925.

1t is my object to adapt such a machine for operation upon the internal combustion principle. More particularly, it is my object to provide a novel and e-fhcient arrangement of ports and valves for admitting and burning the fuel in the cylinder, for exhausting the products of combustion and for scavenging the cylinder. The invention also includes certain other novel features of construction, designed to minimize friction and prevent loss of compression and waste of fuel.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a central, verticalsection through the cylinder and cut oif disc; Fig. 2 is a section talren on the line 2-2 0f Fig. 1; 3 is a section taken on the line 8-3 0f Fig. l; Figli is a fragmentary plan view showing the cut off disc and one of the rings for minimizing friction and preventing leakage; Fig. 5 is a detail .elevation of one of the lie-ads of the valve for controlling the admission of fuel and air and through which the exhaust takes place; Fig. 6 is a section through said valve taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a plan viewof the rotor and piston carried thereby; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section through the rotor showing the piston attached thereto; Fig. 9 is a detail of the rings upon one of the valve h eads formed with ports communicating with the cylinder; Fig. 10 is a typical section through the cylinder showing the rings for minimizing friction vand preventing leakage at the junction of the rotor with the cylinder, and Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic development of the surface of the cylindrical valve and showing 1n dotted lines the surface projection of the pas- I `sages connecting the inlet and outlet ports at opposite ends of the valve.

As shown in the drawings, my improved en- .D gine has a suit-able frame 11 for supporting 1926. Serial No. 104,335.

the several bearings for the moving parts. A horizontal shaft 12 is. adapted to be connected with the mechanism to be driven, being provided with bearings 13 in the frame 11. At one end the shaft 12 is connected by beveled gears 14 with a vertical shaftv 15 upon which is mounted a cut off or abutment disc 16. This disc 16 intersects a cylinder '17 of toric form upon a tangent to the inner periphery of said cylinder and constituting an abut- .69 ment against which the gases act to force the pistonforward. Arranged to Vrevolve iny the cylinder 17 is a piston 18 rigidly secured to the outer edge of an annular flange 19 on a rotor 20. lllhe rotor 2O is fixed upon the hOri- '55 zontal shaft 12 and is enclosed in a suitable housing in the engine frame.` As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the disc 16 passes through the toric chamber to divide the same into the cylinder proper 17 and a segment 21 110 of shorter length located beneath the disc 16. To allow for the passage of the piston 18 through the disc-16, said disc is formed with an opening 22 (Fig. 1) through which the piston passes, both in leaving the cylinder 17 I to enter the chamber 21 and in passing from said chamber back into the cylinder. i

A cylindrical valve 23 is disposed with its axis in parallel relation to the planes of both the disc 16y and axis of the cylinder 17. This valve is arranged to be driven from the shaft 15, by suitable spiral gears 24, at a speed ratio of three revolutions of said shaft to one of said cylindrical valves, while the shaft 15 is driven in' a one to one speed ratio with the e power' shaft 12.

Extending longitudinally and spirally in the valve 28, are three chambers 25, 26 and 27, adapted to successively receive charges of compressed air at One end of the valve and to .es deliver the charges into the cylinder 17 through an opening at the other end of said valve (Figs. 3 and 6). Outlet openings 28 for the air are formed in a head 29 upon one extremity of the valve 23, while intake open- ,5 ings 30 in a head 31 on the other extremity of the valve communicate with the other ends of the chambers 25, 26 and 27. As best shownin Figs. 3 and 6, an intake conduit 32is located y between adjacent chambersv 2,5, 26 and 27 in LJ the heads 29. These conduits 32 have openings 33 in the end of the valve arranged to successively communicate with an air intake pipe 34. Disposed in the head 31 is a series of exhaust or outlet conduits 35, similar to the intake conduits 32, which are interposed between the several chambers 25, 26 and 27 and adapted to successively communicate through openings 36 with an exhaust pipe 37 fixed in the stationary casting of the engine. As shown in Fig. 3, the cylinder 17 is formed with intake and exhaust ports 38 and 39, adapted to register with the openings 28 and 30 respectively and also with the several conduits 32 and 35.

The chambers 25, 26 and 27 have a spiral form, such that the several receiving ends or openings 30 are in advance of the openings 28 in the cycle of operation. The spiral formis provided so that one end of a chamber 2 26 or 27 will be in communication with the cylinder 17 through port 38, while the other end is closed at the port 39 during the ignition or delivery of the charge of fuel behind the cylinder. This arrangement further results in placing the inlet ends of the severalv chambers in communication with the cylinder 17 through port 39, while the other end is closed at the port 38 during the charging of the chambers 25, 26 and 27 successively with air by the action of the piston 18 and during the ignition or power stroke of the piston. Thus, if the direction of rotation be as indicated in Figs. 1 and 6, the chamber 26 will communicate with the cylinder 17 through the port 39 and opening 30 for a part of the time during which the chamber 25 is open into the cylinder through the opening 28 and port 38. Fluid fuel under pressure is admitted to the several chambers 25, 26 and 27 through suitable ports 40 formed in the walls of the cylindrical valve and a fuel pipe 41 has an opening adapted to successively register with the ports 49 at the proper time in the cycle of operation. During the greater part of the cycle, the ports 40 are closed by a stationary ring 40a encircling the cylinder valve (Fig. 3).

Any suitable means for igniting the fuel in the cylinder may be employed. l.Vhere high compression is obtained in the air compression chambers 25, 26 and 27, I prefer to use a hot bulb 42 (Fig. 3), located in each of the several openings 28 in the path of the incoming fuel.

To prevent leakage from one of the oper: ings in the heads 29 and 31 into another and into the cylinder 17, I provide a series oit rings 43 extending around each of the heads 29 and 31 and arcuate bars 44 extending transverse the rings 43 and arranged to conform to the periphery of the valve heads. The rings 43 tend to contract upon the valve heads and to press the bars 44 into engagement with the periphery thereof. As clearly `the flange 19 and the disc shown in Fig. 9, the rings 43 have notches 45 in their inner peripheries, adapted to engage coacting notches 46 on the bars 44. These notches 45 and 46 prevent accidental displacement of the rings and bars. The valve heads 29 and 31 are enclosed in suitable housings 47 (Figs. 2 and 3) having packing at their ends about the cylindrical portion of the valve and provided with suitable packing glands 43 encircling cooling pipes 49 and 50, adapted to respectively admit and carry away water for cooling the valve. rlhe cylinder chamber 17 is also surrounded by suitable water jackets 51, and the cut oll disc 16 has an internal compartment 52 for cooling water. TVater is admitted to this compartment 52 through an intake pipe 53, comn'iunicating with the passage 54 in the shaft 15. rThe water admitted by the pipe 53 1s circulated through the chamber 52 and is withdrawn through an axial passageway 55 in the lower portion of the shaft 145, which communicates with a discharge pipe 56. in any well known or suitable manner. I

Abutting against the upper surface of the cut olf disc 16 in a recess in the walls of the cylinder 17, is a ring 57 (Figs. 1 and rthis ring is held in firm contact with the disc 16 by a series of small coiled springs 53, located in recesses in the cylinder walls. To prevent leakage from the cylinder 17 past the lateral surfaces of the flange 19 on the rotor 20, provide a series of rings 59, like those described in my above mcntioiied application for patent. These rings 59 are urged into engagement with the flange 19 by coiled springs 60, the tension of which may be adliusted by set screws 61 (Figs. 1 and 10).

It will be noted that the disc 16 intersects the toric chamber, in which the piston 18 moves, upon a tangent to the periphery of the rotor 20, so that the upper surface of said disc makes contact with the outer periphery of the flange 19. The radius of the zone of the disc in engagement with the rotor, is

equal to the radius of the outer periphery of is caused to rtitatc in the same direction as the surface of the rotor in Contact therewith. -Thus, the aout ting surface of the rotor moves at the same speed as the portion of the rotor in engagement therewith, and a substantially rtilliic contact between the disc and rotor is obb: tained. By reason of this feature, the friction between the parts is minimized, and it is rendered practical to press the disc firmly into engagement with the periphery of the tlange-19 and thereby prevent leakage at this point 1n the torio chamber. To maintain this firm contact between the disc and periphery of the rotor, I provide an idler wheel 62 arranged to run in contact with the lower side o1' the disc 16. The disc 16 is rendered rigid by an annular reinforcing rib 63 on its outer periphery. This rib 63 also affords a bearing for the wheel 62.

Operation ln operation, liquid fuel under pressure is supplied to the pipe L11 and the pipe 34 is connected to a source of air under pressure. Assuming that the direction of rotation is as indicated by arrows in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, that the piston 18 has just uncovered the port 38 and that the chamber is about to deliver a charge of compressed air into the cylinder behind the piston, the operation is as follows. .The port is in communication with the fu'el delivery pipe L11 and admits fuel under pressure to the chamber 25. rllhe air in the chainber 25 has previously been compressed and is hot. Thus, the fuel is heated as it enters the chamber 25 and will readilyvignite. Ignition takes place as the mixture of fuel and air is ,discharged through the opening 28 into the cylinder and comes in contact with the hot bulb Ll2. Obviously, the high pressure produced by the explosion forces the piston 18 through the cylinder 17 and compresses previously admit-ted air in front of the piston. lVlien the piston has ad V"anced a prevdetermined distance through the cylinder 17,

the valve will have rotated to a point where the chamber 26 is in communication with the exhaust e'nd of said cylinder through one of the openings30 and port 39. As the piston is further forced through the cylinder, the poit 38 is closed by the head 29 and the air in front of said piston is forced into the chamber 26, beinghighly compressed therein. The valve 23 will have rotated to close the opening 3() when the piston has reached the port 39. Thereafter, one of the conduits 35 will communicate with the cylinder to conduct the burnt gases out through the port 36 and exhaust pipe 37, and the piston will pass through the .opening 22 into the chamber 21. As this occurs, a fresh supply of air under pressure is admitted through the pipe 34, a port 33, conduit 32 and port 38 into the opposite end of the cylinder 17, to thereby replace the burnt gases with fresh air, the gases being blown out through the exhaust pipe 37. This scavenging operation continues during a part of the cycle while the cylinderis in the chambers 21. By the time the piston has reached the lend of the chamber 21, the disc 16 will have rotated to allow the piston to pass through the opening` 22 back into the power cylinder 17.l Now the conduit 35 will again havebeen closed by rotation of the valve 23, leaving a charge of fresh'air in the cylinder 17. The pist-on then passes the port 38 and the valve 23 has rotated to open communication between the port 38 and opening 28 leading to the chamber 26. Thus, the charge of air compressed in the chamber 26,'together with another charge of fuel adnntted through the It will be evident that the chamber 27 in the chamber 26. As the operation continy ues, the chambers 25, 26 and 27 will successively receive charges of air through the openings 30 at 4one end and will discharge the air, together with the fuel admitted through the ports 4:0, through the openings 28 at the opposite vendrof the valve 23.

It will be evident that the engine may be reversed by merely connecting the pipe 37 with the compressed air supply, utilizing the pipe 34: for the exhaust and providing hot bulbs like the bulbs 42 in the openings 30, instead of in the openings 28.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is :v

1. In an engine, the combination with a power cylinder of torio forni and a piston adapted to be operated therein, intake and outlet ports spaced longitudinally, one from the other in said cylinder, means for admitting fluid fuel to said cylinder through said intake port, means for igniting the fuel so admitted 'behind said piston, means for admitting fluid to be compressed in front'of said piston, a movable valve anda longitudinal chamber in said valve formed with openings spaced longitudinally of said valve and disposed to successively and respectively communicate with said intake and outlet ports, said chamber bei-ng adapted to receive a charge of fluid compressed in front of said piston and admitted through said outlet port and to deliver the fluid so admitted behind the piston through said intake port during a subsequent power stroke of the piston.

2. ln an engine, the combination with a rotaryl piston and an annular chamber therefor,

of a disc dividing` said chamber into arcuate,

segments, one of said segments constituting a power cylinderv and said disc having an lUU opening adapted to permit the passage of said piston into and out ofsaid cylinder, intake and outlet ports near opposite ends respectively of said. cylinder, means for admitting fluid fuel to said cylinder through said intake port, means for igniting the fuel so admitted behindfsaid piston, meansxfor ad- `mitting` fluid to becompressed in front of said piston, a cylindrical, rotary valve and a chamber extending longitudinally and spirally in said valve and having openings in the opposite ends thereof'adapted to communicate with said intake and outlet ports respectively, said chamber being arranged to receive a charge of fluid from said cylinder at one end and to discharge said vfluid into said cylinder at its other end.

3. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a rotary piston and an annular chamber therefor, of a disc dividing said chamber into arcuate segments, one of said segments constituting a power cylinder and said disc having an opening adapted to permit the passage of said piston into and out of said cylinder, intake and outlet ports near opposite ends respectively of said cylinder, means for admitting Huid fuel to said cylinder through said intake port, means for ignitiiig the fuel so admitted behind said piston, means for admitting fluid to be compressed in front of said piston, a cylindrical valve extending in parallel relation to the plane through the axis of said cylinder and a chamber extending longitudinally in said valve and having openings near opposite ends thereof adapted to successively communicate with said intake and outletports respectively, said chamber being arranged to receive a charge of fluid from said cylinder at one end and to discharge said fluid into said cylinder at its other end.

4. In an engine, the combination with a power cylinder of toric form and a piston adapted to be operated therein, intake and outlet ports near opposite ends respectively of said cylinder, means for admitting fluid i fuel to said cylinder through said intake port,

means for igniting the' fuel so admitted behind said piston, means for admitting fluid to be compressed Vin front of said piston, a

cylindrical valve and a plurality of chambers extending longitudinally and spirally in said valve and severally formed with openings disposed to successively communicate `with said intake 'and outlet ports, each of said chambers being adapted to receive a charge of fluid compressed in 'front of said piston, while another of said chambers is'in communication with said cylinder behind the piston and to deliver the fluid so admitted behind the piston through said intake port during a subsequent power stroke of the piston.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a power cylinder of toric form and a piston adapted to be operated therein, intake and outlet ports near opposite ends respectively of said cylinder, means foi` admitting` fluid fuel to said cylinder through said intake port, means for igniting the fuel so adi'nittedibehind` said piston, means foi' admitting air to be compressed in front of said piston, a rotary valve, a longitudinal vchamber in said valve formed with openings disposed to successively communicate with s aid intake and outlet ports, said chamber being adapted to' receive a charge of air compressed in front of said piston and admitted through said outlet port and to deliver the air so admitted behind the piston through said intake port during the succeeding power stroke of the piston, and means for injecting liquid fuel into ber.

G. In an engine, the combination with a power cylinder and a piston adapted to bc operated therein, intake and outlet ports in said cylinder, means for admitting iuid fuel to said cylinder through said intake port, means for ign'iting the fuel so admitted bchind said piston, a cylindrical valve adapted to be rotated to control the intake and outlet of fluid through said ports, said valve having a series of openings disposed in its periphery to successively register With said ports, a plurality of chambers arranged in said valve to receive compressed air from said outlet port and to deliver charges of air so received to the cylinder through said intake port, air intake and exhaust pipes terminating adjacent to said valve, and conduits for incoming air and exhaust gases disposed in said valve between said chambers and arranged to severally connect said air intake and exhaust pipes with the intake and outlet ports.

In an engine, the combination with a the air compressed in said chamt. power cylinder and a piston adapted to be operated therein, intake and out-let ports located near respectively opposite ends of said cylinder, means for admitting fluid fuel to said cylinder through said intake port, means for igniting the fuel so admitted behind said piston, a cylindrical valve adapted to be rotated to control the intake and outlet of fluid through said ports, said valve having a series of openings disposed near each end thereof to successively register with said ports, a plurality of chambers extending longitudinally in said valve to receive compressed air from said outlet port and to deliver charges of air so received to the cylinder through said intake port, air intake and exhaust pipes terminating adjacent to opposite ends respectively of sai d valve, conduits for incoming air in the end of said valve adjacent to said intake pipe and conduits for exhaust gases arranged in the opposite end of said valve, said conduits being disposed in said valve between said chambers and arranged to severally connect said air intake and exhaust pipes with the intake and outlet ports.

8. In an engine, the combination with a power cylinder and a piston adapted to be operated therein, intake and outlet ports in said cylinder, means for admitting fluid fuel to said cylinder through said intake port, means for igniting the fuel so admitted behind said piston, means for admitting fluid to be compressed in front of said piston, a cylindrical valve adapted to be rotated to control the intake and outlet of fluid through said ports, said valve having a series of openings disposed in its periphery to successively register with ,said ports, a series of rings arranged on said valve about said openings and adapted to contract upon the periphery of said valve and a plurality of longitudinal bars connecting said rings and conforming to the periphery of said valve whereby leak age from one of said openings to another is minimized.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specioation.

ELOV ERICSSON. 

